Planned Install, Wiring Opinions Needed

[wilsman00 10+ year member]

Ok so I have a 2000 Miata and am planning a big audio/video install and want to make sure that everything I have planned will work and be enough before I buy it.

Battery will be upgraded to an optima yellowtop or something like that (haven't bought it yet)

Will upgrade power wire from starter to fuse box to alternator with 4 or 1/0 wire (most likely 4). Upgrade ground from battery to chassis, and engine block to chassis with 1/0.

Power going from battery on 4 gauge into a distribution box with 8 gauge going out of it to 2 amps and a computer (all separate cables).

Computer has a 160 watt power supply.

Total amp power is 800 watts (500 + 300), all grounded with 4 gauge.

Fuse from battery to the dist. block will be a 125amp?

So is there anything obvious that I am missing or forgot about? Or will all those gauges satisfy my power needs?

Also should I have the amp/battery grounds going to the same point or different ones? Or does that even matter?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

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[miker 5,000+ posts]

Ok so I have a 2000 Miata and am planning a big audio/video install and want to make sure that everything I have planned will work and be enough before I buy it.
Battery will be upgraded to an optima yellowtop or something like that (haven't bought it yet)

Will upgrade power wire from starter to fuse box to alternator with 4 or 1/0 wire (most likely 4). Upgrade ground from battery to chassis, and engine block to chassis with 1/0.

Power going from battery on 4 gauge into a distribution box with 8 gauge going out of it to 2 amps and a computer (all separate cables).

Computer has a 160 watt power supply.

Total amp power is 800 watts (500 + 300), all grounded with 4 gauge.

Fuse from battery to the dist. block will be a 125amp?

So is there anything obvious that I am missing or forgot about? Or will all those gauges satisfy my power needs?

Also should I have the amp/battery grounds going to the same point or different ones? Or does that even matter?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

Have all the grounds on the same spot.

 

[wilsman00 10+ year member]

Have all the grounds on the same spot.

Ok thanks. The battery is in my trunk so I can have everything on 1 big point then.

 

[thegreatestpenn 5,000+ posts]

yes you can. I would suggest leaving the factory fuse box-starter/alt there though and just adding another one if possible. The more current flow, the better

 

[wilsman00 10+ year member]

yes you can. I would suggest leaving the factory fuse box-starter/alt there though and just adding another one if possible. The more current flow, the better

Oh yeah good point, thanks.

 

[wilsman00 10+ year member]

So the gauge of wire and the fuse are enough for that equipment? No one see any obvious holes in that electrical system?

 

[skateboardkid 10+ year member]

Go 1 guage into your distro block and possibly 4 gauage to amps and computer what is the current draw on the inverter to run a 160 watt power supply?

Figure out tottal amperage draw and then run 1 and 4 guage anyways and fuse it 10-20 amps over your tottal aperage draw. that way if you need bigger amps, more power from inverter your covered.

Get good flexible wire as well, cheap wire in the small guages is not really what upgrading electrical is all about.

 

[wilsman00 10+ year member]

I have good wire for it. Also there is no converter the power supply is made for car applications its DC-DC.